Background

Merryn was born into the Pitton family in the spring of 490, with all the unfortunately luck that being of that bloodline seems to entail. He was the first born son to Sir Withell Hywel de Pitton the second born son of Hywel Deniel de Pitton and his wife, a peasant woman by the name of Teleri. By the time he was born, his cousin Aluksander Thane de Pitton was already the head of Pitton. Fortunately his aunt was ruling in his cousins stead and his father Withell had no designs on the title. While his father grew up without his own father, Merryn was fortunate enough to at least have his father for a few years, seemingly breaking away from the family curse. There were even two younger siblings born shortly after him, seeming to at least secure the continuance of the Pitton bloodline.

In the summer of 497, when he was 7, that all changed. He was travelling with his father to a tourney in Cornwall when their party was set upon by a group of Saxon raiders. Scared, Merryn hid under the supply wagon as the fighting raged on around him. At some point the wagon was lit on fire, the flames spreading to the young boy himself. His father pulled him out from under the burning wagon, burned and injured. And despite a nasty sword wound the knight had taken then remnants of their group made it quickly back to Pitton. Sir Withell soon succumbed to his wounds. Merryn however was treated and seemed to pull through. Hes nurtured a deep seated hatred of Saxons ever since.

The recovery took the better part of a year, and while his face was untouched, scars along much of his body left him stiff. He spent much of his time in recovery not idle, but learning. He was taught how to read by the local priest and learned much of the heraldry of the kingdom, mostly at the urging of his mother who thought his injuries might preclude him from the knighthood.

He still insisted on becoming a squire to a knight, and fortunately God seemed to provide where fate had seemed to have dealt him a poor hand. As he got older, he grew into a sturdy and strong young man. His innate strength allowing him to make up for the stiffness and lack of mobility his scars afforded him. He took to horsemanship and jousting with great skill, and while he would never show finesse with a sword, he was able to fight in such a way as to take advantage of power over mobility. He also became known as a young man who for good or ill would speak his mind. Sometimes with an almost brutal honesty, but he also was respected for his strait forwardness and honesty.

After a minor skirmish with Picts to the north in the early spring of 514, he was finally granted a full knighthood, and his loyalty seems firmly fixed on Salisbury and Pitton, and a loyalty many are willing to trust.

Characteristics

Merryn de Pitton is a young man in his early to mid-20s. He stands near 511, with a broad chest and wide shoulders. Hes obviously solidly built and thick limbed, though he moves with a noticeable stiffness. His dark hair is kept long enough to settle on his shoulders, and kept back and out of his face with small braid. As well, he wears a short-trimmed beard and dark brows shadow his brown eyes. Though if his hair moves away from the back of his neck, the cause of his stiffness may make itself known, a burn scar is just visible disappearing below his collar. His left hand also bears some scarring, making it notable that it perhaps covers more than just what can be seen.

He favors sturdy clothes of leather and thick wool, practically a light armor in their own right, when not done up in his more appropriate knightly armor. Dark browns and deep blues seem to be his preference of colors. Though his sword is always at his waist, a heavy, thick-bladed sword good for chopping swings.